This invention relates generally to baseball (and softball) gloves and more particularly to such a glove which is constructed to facilitate closure of the glove.
The present invention has particular (but not exclusive) application to gloves for young people, or to others with little hand strength. Gloves constructed in conventional fashion are difficult to close, especially when new. One reason for this is that a glove of typical construction tends to close or "break" along a flex line FL 1 which, as shown in FIG. 1, starts at one side of the glove generally adjacent the bottom of the glove and extends diagonally across the ball-catching pocket of the glove toward the web of the glove. The position of this flex line requires that substantial force be applied by the fingers of the hand, and especially the little finger, to close the glove. Small children and others with little hand strength may not be able to exert the required force, thus making it very difficult to close the glove. There is a need, therefore, for a glove which is relatively easy to flex and close, even by a child.
Reference may be made to co-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,915 for a glove having a flexible heel construction generally relevant to this invention.